Chapter 577 437 Heading to Ziyan

Li Xijun had parted ways with Li Ximing and silently returned to his cave mansion to rest. He missed the opportunity to break through to the Seventh Layer, and for the moment, it would be impossible for him to achieve a breakthrough. Sitting in his cave mansion, his hand resting on his sword, he was lost in profound contemplation.

"It seems likely that the Mingyang Taoist Lineage is in Luoxia Mountain. It will be very difficult for my family to obtain it. The cultivation techniques granted by the Immortal Mirror are random and only reach up to Foundation Establishment. I cannot place all my hopes on external things..."

Li Xijun had given Li Ximing a hint to see his reaction. Considering that Li Ximing saw cultivation as paramount, once he encountered a dead end in his path, it was uncertain what he might do. Li Xijun was not confident about his own breakthrough to Foundation Establishment and feared he might meet his end during the attempt:

"If that day really comes... Without my intervention, it's likely to be quite an ugly affair."

This was his greatest concern. Li Yuanjiao was fixated on that jade clasp. Although Li Xijun couldn't help him, he understood that Yu Muxian was not easy to deal with. If things reached a desperate point, given Li Yuanjiao's decisive nature, he wouldn't wait for Yu Muxian to break through to Zifu.

Li Xijun sighed and decided to put the matter aside for now.

He held no resentment towards Li Ximing. Born with exceptional talent, if Li Ximing could secure a cultivation technique, he truly had the makings of reaching Zifu, and his Divine Skills were enticing. When he harbored hopes of ascending to that position, it was inevitable for him to focus solely on cultivation.

"After all, wandering in The Great Void, reflecting Divine Skills, attaining a lifespan of five hundred years, receiving the courtesies of the Immortal Sect, toying with the mortal world, perceiving the mysteries... Such temptations are incomparable to anything else!"

Having one's own Mingyang Divine Ability, traversing The Great Void and roaming the world, attracting beauties and avoiding disasters, not being treated as a disposable pawn, watching clouds form and dissipate, and being respectfully greeted wherever one goes, regardless of the geniuses encountered... Who could resist such temptations?

The temptations Li Ximing faced stood on a completely different scale from those of others... While Li Xijun and his peers might waste some time on worldly matters, it just meant they would linger at Foundation Establishment a bit earlier or later. But for Li Ximing, it was possible that it could decide whether he'd reach that esteemed position. Torn between decisions, Li Xijun couldn't muster any resentment, given what had already been achieved so far.

As he was sitting idly, someone gently knocked on the door of the cave mansion. A girl dressed in a white robe stepped in with measured strides. She appeared to be about fifteen or sixteen years old, with a beautiful pair of phoenix eyes, and softly said,

"Brother, Brother Ming sent me to bring you the magic artifact..."

This girl was none other than Li Yuexiang, currently at the fourth layer of Fetal Breathing. She didn't like to move around much and usually stayed on Qingdu Mountain. Li Xijun raised his eyebrows as he saw her present a jade bead.

This bead was entirely green, strung with a red cord, indeed the "Qingxuan," an exceptionally good magic artifact for Qi Cultivation, just a step away from Foundation Establishment. Li Yuexiang said,

"Brother Ming said he has already broken through Foundation Establishment. This artifact can summon at most a qi-cultivating peak green deer, and it's of no use to him anymore, so he sent me to give it to you."

Li Xijun glanced at the jade bead and said softly,

"You take it and use it..."

"Xiang'er spends her days on this mountain and doesn't need something as good as this. It should be kept for Chenghuai."

Li Xizhi had sent Li Chenghuai back, and now he was studying on the mountain, not yet of age to cultivate. Li Yuexiang always had strong opinions and refused decisively, placing the jade bead on the table. Li Xijun could only nod and said softly,

"Have you chosen your Spiritual Energy? What Cultivation Technique are you planning to cultivate?"

Li Yuexiang replied,

"Little sister plans to consume 'Long-Range Childish Fire' and practice the 'Childish Fire Long-Range Technique'."

Li Xijun saw that she hadn't consulted Li Yuanjiao's opinion and felt somewhat troubled. He nodded silently, and Li Yuexiang spoke up,

"Brother, you should think more for yourself."

Li Xijun just nodded and waved for her to leave, then spread out the roll call on the table. All members of the Chengming Generation would soon be cultivating Qi, and he needed to arrange these people properly.

Nowadays, Qi Cultivation was no longer considered significant. It was only through Foundation Establishment that one could enter the core decision-making circle of the Li Family. Li Xijun read over the dozen or so names several times, thought,

"I wonder how many will perish along the way, and how many will reach Foundation Establishment..."

Jade Court Mountain.

As time flowed by, Li Qinghong practiced for several months. Opening her eyes as usual, she operated her Immortal Foundation and expanded a field of purple light.

'It's time to cast spells and call for thunder again.'

She deployed the spell, muttered the incantation, the purple light surged, and thunderbolts flickered. Several statues on the right side began to light up one by one, conveying a plethora of information into her mind:

"On the twenty-third of the third month, in the northern part of Han Chan City in Yue Country... 'Dragon-like Thunder' descended upon Dou Xuan Mountain... On the sixth of the tenth month, on the shaded side of Fenkui Mountain in Yue Country... 'Yin Star Thunder' descended... On the second of the twelfth month, at Goose Lake Island in the Qunyi Sea... 'Giant Que Thunder' descended..."

A series of messages emerged, adding up to more than a dozen. The last message was vague and incomplete:

"Of the serpent kind... failed to merge with Heshui... now resolved between heaven and earth... Thunderbolt rises with the water of the East Sea."

Li Qinghong digested the information and was taken aback:

"A Demon King has perished in the East Sea!"

According to the feedback from the Dharma Altar, a Zifu pinnacle Demon King had failed to break through to Golden Core, and died with his path extinguished, leading to a series of celestial phenomena: thunderbolts descending, water rising with thunder.

This information was unexpected, and while Li Qinghong couldn't immediately turn it into an advantage, knowing such significant news put her one step ahead. She couldn't help but think,

"So this Dharma Altar has such a function! These days, even the simplest messaging talismans have lost their function... This could be very useful! Knowing these things in advance, I can certainly make some preparations for my family!"

This Thunder Path shortened lifespan; Li Qinghong, having cultivated to this point, had already sacrificed thirty percent of her lifespan. She wasn't overly concerned, yet she didn't wish other family members to continue down this path. But after seeing this, it was clear that one couldn't afford not to cultivate it.